A day after a group of 58 Trinamool Congress MPs acquitted party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the rebel camp led by Ritabrata Banerjee showed the first signs of unease, with several lawmakers insisting that former Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remain the supreme leader and warning that they may reconsider their place in the bloc if she is reduced to a mere advisor.
These concerns emerged following a meeting of the rebel Legislative Council bloc led by Ritabrata Banerjee, who was recently recognized as the leader of the opposition after a dramatic shift in the Legislative Council party.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC), days after a crushing defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recently concluded state elections, is grappling with a revolt in its legislative ranks after losing power in West Bengal.
Controversy over Mamata’s position
The cause for concern was the proposal made by Ritabrata Banerjee on Thursday, which suggests that Mamata Banerjee could act as a “principal advisor” to the reconstituted Legislative Party.
Read also | 58 TMC MLAs disown Abhishek Banerjee and plead with Mamata; Ritabrata demands LoP status in Bengal
However, for some rebel lawmakers, that description does not adequately reflect their standing within the party.
“We were told that the party will continue under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. She is not just an advisor. We want the party to work under her leadership,” rebel Gulshan Mullick told news agency PTI after the meeting.
Molik went further, explaining that his continued association with the bloc could depend on how the problem is resolved.
“If Mamata Banerjee is not accepted as the supreme leader, we will have to think whether we should remain in this bloc or not,” the panchala legislator said.
Loyalty to Mamata and opposition to Abhishek
Throughout the rebellion, dissident MLAs tried to distinguish between Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, former national general secretary of the party Abhishek Banerjee.
Read also | Mutiny, Mayor out: Mamata Banerjee’s TMC faces one of its biggest challenges ever
Their position was that the dispute was about Abhishek’s influence over the party’s legislative functioning, and not the leadership of the TMC founder.
This argument has become central to the rebels’ political messaging, allowing them to claim loyalty to Mamata Banerjee while opposing what they describe as Abhishek Banerjee’s growing power.
Another rebel lawmaker, Sangeeta Roy Basonia of Setai, echoed similar sentiments.
“Mamata Banerjee is our supreme leader and will remain so. She cannot be an advisor. She is our leader,” Basonia said.
The crisis is deepening within the Transitional Military Council
These developments come amid continuing unrest within the TMC following its electoral defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party and the unprecedented division in its legislative wing.
Read also | Mutiny, Mayor out: Mamata Banerjee’s TMC faces one of its biggest challenges ever
On Thursday, 58 MLAs took control of the legislature party, elected ousted leader Ritabrata Banerjee as leader of the opposition and received recognition from the assembly speaker. The move sparked what is seen as the most serious internal crisis in the party’s 28-year history.
The latest development has exposed growing tensions between the party organization and its elected representatives and raised broader questions about the leadership, succession and future course of the party that has dominated West Bengal politics for over a decade.
(with PTI inputs)
